Far From A Fairy Tail
by McKnight 2.0
Summary: Koriand'r, the Princess of Tameran and the 9 kingdoms is forced to be wed by her father, King Myand'r, but when Lord Wayne comes for her viewing with his sons, and the young princess meets Sir Grayson, the Knight Commander of Gotham, things get very complicated as she is forced to choose between love and duty. Not to mention, a war unlike any other may be just on the horizon.
1. Chapter 1

**So... Lots of explaining to do. First off, Project Titan is going to be finished relatively shortly. I have just finally completed my divorce and that took up a lot of time, but now I'm back. In my time away though, I came up with this idea for a story that I just have to write. It might last ten to fifteen chapters, maybe more, if you guys like it. It's different than anything I've done, so I'm not sure. Let me know if you want it to continue. Hope you enjoy!**

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 **Chapter One: The Viewing**

 **Koriand'r's POV**

I sat in front of the mirror that hangs just above my wooden desk in my bed chamber, looking myself over very carefully, trying to find anything about my appearance that is even slightly off. I meticulously examine everything from my straightened long red hair, to the elegant purple sun dress that has been selected for me to wear today. Even as Princess of the island nation of Tameran, as well as the other eight kingdoms, I normally do not make such an effort to look so presentable on most days, but today is not most days. Far from it in fact.

Being a royal comes with many responsibilities. This is a fact that I have learned well in my sixteen years of life. You must make sure your subjects are taken care of, make sure they have enough to eat, clear water to drink, roofs over their heads, and so forth. You must also make sure that their home country, in my case, Tameran, is safe to live in and for their children to grow up in. This is accomplished by having many knights to patrol the city, a strong army to defend against all potential invaders, and marrying sons and daughters of lords from other territories to make Tameran's alliances stronger.

Marriage. That is why today is different than all other days. My father, Grand Ruler of Tameran and king of all nine kingdoms, Myand'r, has decided it is time for me to be married, just as my sister, Komand'r was at my age. I do not fear the concept of an arranged marriage because I have known my entire life that I would not get to marry for love. That is for the commoners, and a privilege they have that I envy greatly, but I know I have a duty to my people and this country. Plus, my father, as cold as he can be at times, has been generous and has allowed me to pick my own husband, which is why on this day, Lords from all over the nine kingdoms are arriving with their noble sons in order to seek my hand.

It sounds quite romantic if you do not understand the politics of it, but I assure you, this is nothing like the fair tails I heard as a little girl. It's simply business. I know the next few weeks will be filled with each option proclaiming what they can do for Tameran and why strengthening the alliance with whatever suitor's country I pick benefits my family and this country the most. It is sad that love has nothing to do with it, but as I said earlier, it is my duty.

I hear a knock at my thick, wooden chamber door and by the deep booming voice coming from the other end of it, there is no doubt who it is. "Come my Koriand'r. It is nearly time for the viewing ceremony. No need to keep your guests or your father waiting. You know how impatient the old man is," my Uncle Galfore bellows. The viewing ceremony is where myself as well as the other members of my family get to formally meet my suitors, though I am not allowed to talk to them, nor them to me, hence why it is called the viewing. I see them, they see me, I talk to their fathers briefly. That is it. Pointless I believe, but is how things have always been done here.

I stand to my feet in my heals, making my already tall frame look even more so, and walk over to the door, opening it to reveal my monstrous looking uncle. Most men would cower in his presence and with good reason. He stands over 7 foot tall, has arms twice the size of my head, and has a scar over his left eye from the Great War, which occurred seven years before my birth. He once was the greatest warrior of Tameran and has fought and won countless battles in his time. Songs are even sung of his greatness on the battlefield, but now that he has aged, his sole task is to take care of me. Still though, I know that if it came to it, my Uncle could lead Tameran's army to victory against any opposition. He did not earn the nickname the 'Red Maned Lion' for no reason.

In truth, he has raised me since birth and has been far more of a father to me than my father ever has. I certainly love him like a father, and I do believe that he views me as his own daughter as well, though he could never admit it.

He smiles widely enough at me so that I can see his missing teeth and brushes my red hair behind my ear. "You look beautiful, my princess."

I intertwine my arm with his much larger one and smile up at him. "Thank you, Uncle. Are you ready to accompany me?"

He laughs. "To marry one of those stuck up nobles who have never held a weapon a day in their lives? Never. I ought to kill them all and run their fathers straight out of Tamera," he say jokingly. ...At least, I believe he is joking.

"Let us not do that, Uncle," I ease him as I head out of my chamber door and begin to escort him down the hallway, my arm still intertwined with his. We navigate the maze of castle hallways until the light of the courtyard comes into view and not long after the chattering of the many guests can be heard. Once I come into view, everyone in attendance stands, as is customary here when a member of the royal family enters the area, as apposed to bowing like they do in the more northern kingdoms.

I smile gratefully at my guests and continue on my way to the long rectangular table where my father, my mother, Luand'r, and 10 year old little brother, Ryand'r all sit, patiently awaiting the arrival of my uncle and myself. Once I take a seat, the rest of the guests do as well, and shortly there after my father, the king of all the lands, stands to his feet, his face as serious as ever as he scans over the crowd consisting of noblemen and women from both Tameran and the the rest of the world.

Unlike my Uncle Galfore, my father is not a monstrous individual. He is somewhat tall, at 6'2 or so, and has lean muscle, but he is not known for the fear he inflicts on the battlefield, but then again, his combat prowess is not why he makes an excellent king. He is intelligent, a great commander, and more importantly he is fair, not only to Tameran's citizens but to the other nations as well. He does not need to be feared. He has something better than that. Respect.

"Thank you all for coming today. I know many of you have been traveling for weeks or even months to be here today for my daughter, Koriand'r's, viewing ceremony, and I am truly humbled to have you all in my home. I have been Grand Ruler of Tameran for twenty years, and king of all other kingdoms for ten and during this time all of you lords have supported my claim to the throne, which is why I would have no one else but your sons marry my daughter, so please, at this time, the viewing will begin."

My father glances at me out of the side of his green eyes and nods slightly before taking a seat back in his chair. I nod slightly back before turning my attention back to the first suitor to take the floor. Two large, muscular, fair skinned men with black hair approach our table. One is clearly around my age, judging by his young face and the other, slightly larger one is someone I know as Lord Kal-El of the warrior nation of Krypton, the nearest country to our own. I have seen him before briefly, when my sister had her viewing two years ago, and on a few other occasions as well. His son, who seems emotionless, like many of their people appear, is quite hansom by any measure, so am intrigued what they have to say.

"Princess, Koriand'r," Lord Kal-El begins with a bow. "As you are aware, we are from the mighty nation of Krypton where I serve as lord in allegiance to your father, the king of all kings." He motions to his son. "This is my first born son, Kon-El. He's a mighty warrior and future lord of Krypton. If you to shall be wed, I will pledge my entire army to your father, and everyone here knows that the Kryptonian army is the the most deadly of all."

A I mentioned earlier, on this day, I am not allowed to speak with my suitor, nor they to me, as tradition dictates, so I only address Lord Kal-El. "Thank you for your time, my Lord. I look forward to getting to know both your son and the ways of your country better in the coming weeks," I answer in the most diplomatic way possible, just as I have been taught from the time I was young.

He smiles and bows once again before returning to his seat, his son following behind him. The next to step up is a man with long grey hair and an eye patch covering his left eye and beside him, his son, a smaller boy with blonde curly hair. I know this man as Lord Wilson and his son as Grant Wilson. I have never spoken with them before or even seen them really, but I have heard things about the Wilson family from other Lords. Those things were not the best to say the least. "Hello, Princess," he bows to me in the most smoothly elegant fashion I have ever seen. "I am Lord Slade Wilson of House Wilson and Lord of Wintergreen, and this is my son, Grant," he introduces the blonde hair, blue eyed boy next to him. "If you choose my son as your betrothed, I pledge that twenty percent of Wintergreen's crops will be shipped here to help feed your people."

I nod. "Thank you, Lord Wilson. A very generous offer. I look forward to speaking with your son in the weeks to come."

They bow and return to their seats. I do not find any interest in his son as far as appearance, but it is unfair to judge him without talking to him first, so I shall wait and see.

Six other lords come and go, showing off theirs sons and pledging this and that to Tameran, but to tell the truth, I found it extremely difficult to pay attention after the fourth one or so, but then something quite interesting happens. The ninth and last suitor steps forward. It is Lord Bruce Wayne of Gotham, the largest industrial nation in the world. The reason I know this so surely is that he is the richest man in the world by quite a large margin. Most believe that if he truly wanted to, he could buy an army big enough to take every kingdom in the world, but it is clear he has no interest in that.

At his side is boy with spiky dark hair and blue eyes that are just like his fathers. He is probably no more than twelve, thirteen at the most, but age does not typically matter when it comes to arranged marriages, so this is not the thing I find interesting. However, standing just behind them is the most gorgeous human being I have ever seen in my existence.

He is about 6'2 with dark hair that hangs to the side over his eyes and is clad in black armor with a blue bird symbol on his chest plate, but none of this is what catches my gaze so thoroughly. It's his eyes themselves. They are blue, but not a normal one. They are ghostly almost. The only thing I can compare them to is ice, and they are the most beautiful things I've ever seen. His face is the definition of perfect, completely symmetrical with a perfectly square jaw, and the way he stands radiates confidants. It is clear that my family does not scare him in the least, and for some reason, I find that wildly sexy.

His gaze meets mine and my eyes instantly dart away from him, just as Lord Wayne begins to speak. "A pleasure to greet you, Princess," he bows. "As you know, I am Lord Wayne of Gotham, and this is my only biological son, Damian," he motions to the young boy at his side. "If you are to wed my son, I swear to give Tameran access to Gotham's vast industrial resources and of course I can help with any financial problems in the future."

"Thank you, Lord Wayne," I respond, trying to force myself to not look in the direction of the armor clad man behind them, who for some reason I believe is smirking at me. I don't know if it is my imagination or I actually see him doing this out of the corner of my eye.

Lord Wayne and Damian bow before heading back to their seats, the mysterious man in their company following them. I lean over to my Uncle Galfore enough where I can whisper in his ear and no one shall hear. "Uncle, the man with Lord Wayne, do you know who he is?"

My Uncle nods and leans back toward me. "His name is Sir Grayson. He is the adopted son of Lord Wayne. I believe his parents died when he was a young boy and Lord Wayne took him in for whatever reason. Apparently the boy was good with a sword and eventually he became a knight. Now he is the commander of Lord Wayne's entire army at only twenty years old. I've heard many stories of him through noblemen chatter. They call him the "Black Wolf."

I glance at Sir Grayson, who is now standing guard over Lord Wayne and Damian at their table, one of his hands grazing across the handle of his sword. "Why do they call him that?" I ask, turning back to my Uncle.

He shrugs. "I've only heard stories, but one thing is for sure, the boy is one hell of a warrior to have a nickname like that. It is too bad you can't marry him," he jokes.

"Yes, too bad," I mumble, my eyes fixated on the young, but still older than me, Knight of Gotham. What is it about him that has me so entranced? Maybe I shall find out sooner or later. I do have a few weeks to get to know him, and suddenly I am looking forward to the days to come, but I am not sure if that is a god thing...

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 **So, continue? Yes? No? Maybe so? Review and tell me. This story rides on you guys.**


	2. Chapter 2

**I think chapter one received enough support for me to continue. This is far different than anything I've written, so I am enjoying the challenge. Tell me what you think?**

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 **Chapter Two: The Feast**

 **Dick's POV**

I stand, leaning against the far wall of the my father's temporary bed chamber for the next few weeks, watching impatiently as he and my little brother get dressed for the grand feast that is to occur later on today. I find this all so pointless in truth. Even though I'm technically a nobleman, due to who my father is, I have no interest in the lifestyle that they live. I refuse to allow anyone to tell me that I must be married and to whom I will be married to. There is no freedom in that.

The good news for myself is that I do not have to worry about this. I was adopted by Bruce at the age of nine, therefore I am not technically a Wayne and for that very reason, there is no reason to force me to wed anyone. The last name of the Wayne's would not carry on with my children, making the arrangement pointless. I must say though, if my brother is going to be forced to wed anyone, the Princess of all kingdoms is not a bad option. Not only does she have far more power than any Lord or Lady could ever hope to, she also has a very... exotic look. Gotham is located in the far north, a thousand miles from Tameran, and there the girls, everything from the noble ladies to the tavern whores, are pale in skin color with darker hair, but not the princess.

No, she looks far different from anything we're used to. Golden skin, red hair, green eyes. It's all very strange, but I cannot deny that she is gorgeous. My brother would be quite lucky if he can sway her to choose him. Of course, I don't think that will actually be the case. He's young and has zero experience with women, let alone the Princess herself. I'm no fortune teller, but I am predicting a disaster.

I watch as the two button up there fancy white shirts, looking at themselves in the mirror as they do, and can not help but to roll my eyes. "Both of you ladies look fine."

Bruce looks over at me a glares. "We have to make a good impression, Dick. It is important to the Wayne family and Gotham that she picks Damian to wed."

I sigh and shake my head. "And you think dressing in nice clothes is going to make a good impression? Everyone there will be dressed exactly the same way. What makes him stand out?" I motion to Damian, who is frowning at me, but I wave him off in response. "I am just saying, you are already one of the youngest suitors, which puts you at a disadvantage immediately. She is sixteen if I am correct. What would make her want to marry a thirteen year old?"

Bruce crosses his arm over his chest and frowns. "Okay, so what do you suggest we do?"

"If it were me," I begin placing my hand on my chest plate. "I would be the first to talk to her tonight. Find out what she likes and be that, even if it's a lie, what does it matter? This is all horse shit anyway."

Bruce rolls his eyes. "Don't you have somewhere to be, Dick?"

"And leave you and the young Lord alone? Something horrible could occur in my absence. I could not. I swore an oath," I say with valiant mocking voice.

"You could," he glares. "I'm sure there are some Tameranian women around to keep you occupied until tonight."

I bow with an amused smirk. "I thank you for my leave, my Lord." With that I head for the door. I'm sure I can find a way to get in trouble around here, especially if the girls here look like the Princess.

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 **Kori's POV**

I sigh, looking out the window in my room, my head resting against the window seal. There's still a few hours left until the feast begins and I have little to nothing to do to occupy my time until then. I am lost in mindless thought until I hear some form of commotion coming from the court yard. I cannot view it from this window so I rush over to my balcony so that I can see the garden and green field that the tables had been placed on for yesterday's ceremony, but have since been removed.

Once I reach it and look out over my white balcony, I am more than surprised to find the insanely attractive knight, Sir Grayson standing there, with his sword drawn and three Tameranian royal guards circling him with their spears pointed in his direction. At first, I am about to call below and demand to know what is happening and why the guards are attacking one of my guests but then I notice something. Sir Grayson is smirking and there are other guards surrounding the group, them all smiling and appear to be placing bets, making it clear that this is some form of competition.

I decide against making my presence known and just quietly watch as the first guard thrusts his spear forward. Sir Grayson steps to the side, avoiding the attack, but manages to catch the long handle of the weapon and jerks it forward, pulling its holder forcefully forward along with it and straight it to a massive punch by the Gotham knight, knocking the guard to ground, unconscious and causing the crowd of guards surrounding them to uproar in excitement at the powerful blow.

Sir Grayson then pivots to his left, just in time to block an oncoming spear thrust with his wrist guards in an incredible display of reflexes and instincts. He then swings his mighty sword around, knocking the weapon straight from the guard's hand before delivering a mighty kick to his chest, knocking him to the grassy ground.

Sir Grayson then turns to the third guard who seems quite hesitant to attempt an attack after seeing what the knight of Gotham is capable of, but he trust his spear forward anyway and with incredible speed, Sir Grayson ducks under the attempt before rising up to deliver a vicious elbow to the guards jaw, putting him in the same place as his two companions.

This man just took out three elite Tameranian warriors without even attempting lethal force. I cannot say that I am not very impressed by this display. The black and blue armor clad knight bows for his observers like he is some form of showman, but he then pauses in place for a brief moment before turning around and looking directly up at me.

I stifle a yip that attempted to escape from my mouth. How'd he even know I was here? I want to flee back into my room like a shy little girl, but it is too late for that now. He is looking directly at me with those eyes that appear as if they could search the very depths of your soul with just a glance.

A smirk crosses his face as he places his sword back in the holder around his waste. He then bows to me before standing straight. Looking me over once more, he smiles before confidently walking off out of my view, leaving me to stand there, clearly flustered. One thing is clear to me. This knight of Gotham has certainly captured my attention far more so than any of my suitors have managed to as of yet, and I do not believe that is a good thing. How am I supposed to get to know any of them, when in truth, the one I want to speak with is not even an option?

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 **Kori's POV**

The Grand Feast. The second day of my courting process, solely meant for me to get to know my suitors a little better by speaking with them for the first time. I already sit at the royal table dressed in purple dress similar to yesterday except for the fact that this one reveals far more cleavage. Tameranian culture is different than many. We don't believe the human body is anything to be ashamed of. It's supposed to be a beautiful thing, made in the light of X'hal, our God. The more north you go however, the more that these views change.

My family sits beside me as we await the guests who are currently pouring into the room in spurts. I pretend to be distracted by invisible dust on my dress, but I am quite aware the second the Wayne family enters and takes their seats at the table they have been assigned. This is the first occasion where I have seen Sir Grayson without his armor on, it now being replaced by a simple black buttoned up shirt, making him look more like the nobleman that he is, but still attractive beyond all measure.

I occasionally take a peak at him as the other guests get settled in at their tables. He seems to be very bored with the idea of this and I cannot blame him. He commands an army, so even as nobleman, this is probably out of his comfort zone.

Eventually everyone settles in and the platters of food are brought out to each table. My father, who seems eager to get this over with, stands to his feet and rings his wine glass to get everyone's attention and the end the chattering momentarily. "I'd like to take a moment to welcome you all to the royal dining all for this grand feast. It is my honor to to hold this event in the name of my daughter, Princess Koriand'r, so without further waiting, let the feast begin!"

Everyone applauds briefly before beginning to drink their wine and eat their food. I casually mingle from table to table, starting with the Lord Kal-El and his son Kon-El, who I learned is very... serious. He does not speak much and when he does his replies are not very long. I suppose it is the result of how he was raised, but either way it is unnerving enough to make me move on rather quickly. After only brief, rather dull conversations with a few of the other suitors, I happen to notice Sir Grayson walking up the stairs to the balcony that circles around the entire dining hall.

I wonder why he's going up there. Rather curiously, I head in that direction and ease my way up the staircase, unnoticed by the rest of my guests. Once at the top I find him leaning against the railing, looking out over all the slightly drunk noblemen and ladies. Swallowing hard in sudden nervousness, I slowly approach him. "You are not enjoying the feast, Sir Grayson?" I ask, it coming out more softly than I had intended it to.

He turns to me, seemingly surprised at my presence, but he responds quickly anyway. "Forgive me, Princess. A room full of drunken nobles just isn't my idea of a good time." He then pauses briefly before speaking again. "You know my name? How?"

I nod with a smile and approach him, standing at his side on the balcony. "How could I not? Your reputation proceeds you, Knight Commander of Gotham." That sounded like a much better response than telling him that I just learned of his existence yesterday thanks to my Uncle's knowledge. "I saw your little competition earlier with my guards. It was quite impressive. They're very highly trained warriors."

"Thank you Princess. It was an honor to you have you in my audience," he replies, the charm just oozing from his voice.

I blush and tuck my red hair behind my ear as my eyes fall to the floor briefly. "Please Sir Grayson, no one is around. You may call me Koriand'r... Kori preferably."

He smiles and extends his hand to me. "Very well. If we aren't using titles, feel free to call me Richard... Dick preferably."

I shake his hand lightly. "It is nice to formally meet you, Dick." I turn to look out at the people below, specifically the Wayne family, before glancing back at him. "Tell me, how did you happen to come to be Lord Wayne's ward?"

Sir Grayson... I mean, Dick, sighs and leans against the rail once more. "It is quite the long story, but if it is either telling it or returning to the feast then I will gladly tell you," he jokes. "You see, my biological parents were circus acrobats as was I. We traveled from kingdom to kingdom performing for Nobles, but as fate would have it, during a routine performance in Gotham when I was nine, the trapeze ropes snapped and my parents fell to their deaths. Bruce, who happened to be in the audience that night, was also orphaned at a very young age, both his parents being killed in an attempted siege on Gotham. I guess he understood the pain I was feeling, so he paid the circus a hundred gold pieces for me. I thought I was going to be a slave, but it was nothing like that. He raised me as his own son. Thought me to fight. Made me who I am today really. That's the very reason that when I became a knight, I swore myself to him. Payback for him taking care of me when he didn't have to."

I stand speechless, unsure what to say for a long moment. "I... I am sorry for your parent's death."

He smiles at me lightly. "No need. I have made peace with my past. I know they are watching over me."

I envy his outlook, but I am still curious about so much. "May I ask something else?"

"You're the Princess. You can do whatever you want," he responds, with a smirk.

A horribly girlish giggle escapes me before I can stifle it, but I only continue. "I've heard they call you the 'Black Wolf.' Why is that?"

"Ahh, that story," he laughs. "So, during the last attempted siege on Gotham, I was only seventeen and had probably been a knight less than a year. They came in the night and took us by surprise. I just so happened to be on guard duty that night along with nine other men. There were probably a hundred of them, but under my lead, we fought off every single one until reinforcements could arrive."

"Really?" I ask in wide eyed amazement.

"The story varies depending on who you ask. Sometimes you'll hear they had as many as five-hundred men. If that were the case then I would probably not be here talking with you today."

I stare into his eyes, lost in their beauty. "Then I find myself very thankful that there were not."

We stare at each other in silence for long a moment, just looking over each others every feature and I barely notice the sound of my pounding heart. Why cannot this man be one of my suitors? We could end the courting at this very moment because I am certain that no one will measure up to him. There are just so many things about him that are wildly exciting to me. His ability as a warrior. His charm. His appearance. I know what I am feeling is nothing more than interest and lust, but still... it is intoxicating.

"Princess," I hear a deep voice call from behind and I turn to find my Uncle Galfore standing there, effectively killing the moment.

"Yes, Uncle?" I answer, startled by his presence.

"Your father sent me to find you. Your suitors are awaiting your presence," he informs me.

I sigh, remembering my duty, before turning my attention back to the hansom knight in front of me. "Perhaps we may talk again?"

"Whatever you wish, my Princess," he bows charmingly as ever, kissing the back side of my hand lightly as he does.

I smile as I walk away, rather convinced that I have hearts in my eyes.

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 **So, good? Bad? Okay? Review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank all of you for the awesome support. Please keep it up!**

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 **Chapter Three: The Boy From The North**

 **Kori's POV**

I walk along the garden of the court yard, enjoying the sound of the birds chirping and the warm sun shining down on me. I am thankful to have a little time to myself. It is only day four of the courting ceremony, but I am already thoroughly exhausted by the constant attention. I have not seen Sir Grayson since the feast, but I often find myself thinking of him. Though I could not possibly admit it aloud, when I venture out of my bed chamber sometimes, it is for no other reason than the hope of running into him.

I have even spent a fair amount of time around Lord Damian Wayne in hopes that Sir Grayson may be there as well, but he has been vacant as of yet. I know it is wrong to use the young Lord, who seems like a very kind person, in order to fulfill my desires of seeing the hansom knight, but I cannot help it. I am just drawn to him in a way that I can not begin to explain.

I am rounding the corner of the courtyard, which I often walk around five or six times in a row before returning inside, but I am so lost in my thoughts of the Black Wolf of Gotham that I do not even notice one of my suitors standing right beside the giant rose bush to my side and walk right past him.

"Princess," his voice beacons from behind.

Pausing in my tracks, I turn to find Lord Roy Harper, nephew of Lord Oliver Queen, standing there, smiling charmingly at me. "Oh, hello, my Lord. I apologize. I did not see you there."

"It's fine Princess. I'm sure you must have a lot on your mind with all of this happening," he replies understandingly. "May I walk with you?" he asks, offering me his arm.

It is a kind gesture and Lord Harper is far from the worst of my suitors, him being quite attracting and seemingly kind, so I see no harm in it. "Of course," I answer with a smile, allowing him to take my arm.

We walk in silence for a moment before he looks over at me. "You look quite beautiful today, Princess."

I glance down at the simple purple dress that I am wearing. There is no event scheduled for today, so I saw no need to dress up fully as I have the last few days, but I appreciate his compliment still. "Thank you, my Lord. That is very sweet of you."

"So, I must ask Princess, who is your favored suitor so far?" he questions.

I clearly cannot say what I wish to, so I must come up with a more... diplomatic answer to give, or as my Uncle would say, bullshit. "Well, I have not..." I pause when I hear a familiar voice nearby and I look slightly ahead to find Sir Grayson standing under the over hang of the balcony, surrounding by at least twenty guards, and judging by the way his animated hands are moving and the way the guards are all laughing hysterically, it appears he is telling them some form of story. Of course I would find him with the soldiers rather than the nobles. He clearly fits in so much better here.

I pause and turn to Lord Harper. "It was lovely speaking with you, but I have something I must attend to." I do not even know if that counts as a conversation, but I must see Sir Grasyon.

He nods with a slight frown. "Maybe some other time then."

"Of course," I answer with a friendly smile before hurriedly walking off to where the guards stand. One of them notices me coming and his laughter stifles, the smile immediately disappearing from his face. He straightens his back and stiffens his arms at his side, going to the position of attention. "Men, attention!"

All of them copy his motion immediately, except for Sir Grayson, who turns to find me approaching. A slight smile crosses his face and he bows. "Ahh, Princess. We weren't expecting you. I was just telling your men here some old war stories."

I cannot help but smile widely at him. "I did not mean to disturb your fun. I was just hoping to speak with you in private for awhile."

He nods before turning back to the royal guards. "You heard your Princess. Go guard something!" he mock orders.

"Yes, my Lord," one screams before they all begin to scurry off.

"If you call me a lord one more time, Randar, I'm will slit your throat," Sir Grayson calls after him, to which he just glances back with a smile as he keeps running.

I giggle at the antics before I address him. "You know the names of my men?"

He turns back to me with a smirk. "Oh yeah, I been hanging out with these guys for a couple days now. Even went on a patrol or two with them. I'm practically an honorary Tameranian guard now."

I can't help but to continue to laugh at him, it coming from a mixture of nervousness and the fact that he is actually quite funny. "Well, I feel very safe knowing that." I pause, beginning to feel butterflies in my stomach. "I was just curious, if you have the time I mean, if we could do something."

"I always have time for you Princess," Sir Grayson replies and I feel my heart begin to pound like war drums in my chest. He then looks around, apparently examining everything in his presence. "Although, I do not know what we could do at the castle. Things are fairly... slow around here."

"Well, I am not allowed to leave without royal guards to accompany me. Perhaps I can...," I begin before he interjects.

"Good thing I am an honorary royal guard then. Come, let me take you to my horse," he instructs, offering me his hand.

I know if my father discovered I left the castle's grounds with only one guard, and that guard wasn't even Tameranian, he would be really upset with me. I myself know that it is dangerous. There are probably countless individuals beyond the walls of the castle that would love to get their hands on me, either to hold me for ransom or... worse things. In truth, I just met Sir Grayson himself, and know nearly nothing about him besides the things that I have heard. For all I know, he could be just trying to get me outside of the castle to abduct me and help his father seize the throne... but... I don't think that is the case in the least. It's quite odd, but I trust him. Genuinely trust him.

With no hesitation, I take his hand.

* * *

 **Dick's POV**

We ride through the city streets of the Tameranian capital, me on front of the horse, controlling it's movements, and Princess Koriand'r hanging onto my waste as if her life depends on it. Apparently she has never rode a horse before because she is clearly frightened of falling off, so I am taking it much slower than I normally would.

I like the Princess. She is different that I would have imagined. Most nobles I know, male or female, are stuck up and believe everything she be given to them, but not her. She is surprisingly down to Earth, a very refreshing quality. As we slowly make our way down the city streets, I notice all the eyes looking us over. I'm mostly looking for any suspicious activity or attempted assaults, but I'm also just trying to take in a little bit of the culture here because the odds are once I return to Gotham in a couple of weeks, I'll never return here. I do have an army to lead back home after all, and that is quite time consuming.

She is quiet so I turn to glance at her over my shoulder. "Are you okay, Princess?"

She looks up at me and offers a slight smile. "Oh, yes, Sir Grasyon. Just a little sick at my stomach is all. I never learned to ride a horse."

I laugh at her. "Well, perhaps I can teach you before I leave."

I see her eyes become distant and she looks away from me. "Perhaps."

I know she has become fond of me for whatever reason. I am not naive of that, and in all truth, I am quite fond of her as well. She is... beautiful and kind and everything a man could want in a woman... but that is why me leaving soon is for the best. If I were to develop some form of... attachment to this girl, I mean the Princess, then it would end badly for me obviously.

Seeing that she is clearly sad, or at east in deep thought, I attempt to change the subject. "Princess, what is that building?" I point to the biggest building I've seen in the city besides the castle itself.

"Oh, that is the temple of X'hal," she replies.

"X'hal?" I inquire.

"Yes," she nods. "Tameranians worship the Goddess, X'hal. We believe she is the bringer of light and all things good and just in the world."

I nod. "I see." I am about to question her further on it, but before I can, I notice a disturbance just up ahead. Three much larger teenagers have a smaller one pinned against the wall of a brick building and are raiding his pockets for coins. The smaller boy is clearly homeless, judging by his torn brown clothes, which is truly sad because he can be no more than thirteen.

One of the boys grabs him by his throat and issues a threat that I am too far away to here, but regardless, I will not stand for this. "Hold on Princess, I have something to take care of."

"What do you yeeeeeeep!" She screams and clinches to me for dear life as my horse begins to gallop toward the boys, before coming to an easy stop just behind them, they still clearly unaware of our presence.

"Do you enjoy picking on smaller children?" I question as I dismount my horse so that I am towering over them, my black armor shining in the light of the sun.

The bigger boys turn to see me standing there and their faces become as pale as ghosts, but they are even more shocked to find the Princess sitting on the horse just behind me. They stay speechless, their eyes wide in terror. I glance back at Koriand'r. "Princess, these boys were attacking the smaller one, attempting to steal his money. What is the punishment here for such a crime?"

She seems to get the sense that I am attempting to frighten them and instantly plays along. "For thievery? I am afraid you must cut off their hands, Sir Grayson.

I nod at her. "Very well," I reply drawing my sword.

"No! Please don't!" one of the boys beg, falling to his knees, the other two following suit.

"Spare us and we will never do it again! I swear!" another one adds.

"Hm, it's up to the Princess," I tell them before turning to her.

She glares down at them, a surprising fire in her eyes. "...Sir Grayson will pardon you in the name of X'hal this time. There will be no such luck on the next occasion."

"Thank you for your mercy, Princess," says one of the boys as they all stand and bow.

"Leave here now," I command and they nod before quickly sprinting off, thrilled to just have their lives even though they were never truly in danger. I then turn my attention to the boy, who is standing against the wall, looking on timidly at us. He has brown hair and pale skin, clearly from northern decent rather than here.

I place my sword back in its holder to show I mean no harm, then I approach. "Are you okay?"

He swallows hard before nodding. His eyes then grow wide and he stands up straight. "I mean yes, my Lord. Princess," he says quickly, bowing to us.

"I am no Lord. My name is Sir Grayson. I am the knight commander of Gotham, and of course this is Princess Koriand'r of Tameran, future ruler of all nine kingdoms."

"Hello," she greets him with a friendly smile and wave

"The only real question is, who are you?" I ask.

"Um, I'm nobody. ...I mean, I have a name. It's Garfield Logan... but I like to be called Gar... Sir..." he studders, still looking like a wide eye doe.

"I see, Gar. Where are your parents?" I question.

His eyes fall to the ground. "...Dead, Sir. They were here leading an expedition in the Tameranian jungle looking for plants to make new medicines, but they came down with some virus and it killed them both. That was two years ago."

I see the boy's pain in his eyes. I recognize it quite well. It's the same one I saw in my own for so long. "You're telling me that you have been living on the streets for two years?" I continue to interrogate.

He nods solemnly. "Yes, Sir."

I can't and won't let this boy suffer alone any further. "Gar, do you know what a squire is?"

He slowly shakes his head no.

Didn't think so. I continue to explain. "A squire is a teenage boy, who assists a knight on whatever he needs to get done, rather it be delivering messages for him, cleaning his horse, or taking down notes for him and in return the squire will have food to eat, water to drink, a place to sleep, as well as learn the skills to become a knight himself one day, such as riding a horse and swordsmanship. I currently happen to be in the need of squire, and I think you're just the man for the job."

"...I ... Sir, I ...I would love to assist you," he answers clearly stunned.

I nod. "Very well. You will accompany myself and the Princess back to the castle. There we will get you a bath and find you some food to eat. Sound good?"

"Yes, sir Grayson."

With that, I begin to lead the horse back toward the castle, Gar walking along side me. I am glad I helped him. Maybe I can save him from becoming like me. Empty.

* * *

 **Kori's POV**

I sit on the edge of the bed in Sir Grayson's room, watching as he takes off his armor, while Gar is getting himself situated in a nearby room as he preps for bed. Sir Grayson removes his breast plate and arm guards, placing them on the far table before removing all the armor from his legs as well. He then takes off his damp shirt and tosses it to the side, revealing to me his perfect, rock solid muscles, which glisten from the little beads of sweat dripping down them. It is exactly how I imagined his body would look, and trust me, I imagined it. ...numerous times. Despite the fact that he is clearly perfect in every way, there is one detail about his form that I was not expecting.

On the right side of his chest, there is a scar. It's not too large, but it is clear that it is from a blade. I stand from the bed and slowly approach him. "Sir Grayson... I mean, Dick. This scar," I begin, softly running my hands across it, feeling the muscles in his chest as I do. "How did you get it?"

He stares down at me, his eyes meeting mine, and I just cannot get my mind off of how much I... I should not even say. "The night of the siege, a sword pierced my armor. Any deeper than it was and I would have died."

I place my hand flatly on his chest. "Well, I must thank X'hal for saving you then," I say softly.

"Why is that?" he asks in a similar tone.

"Because... meeting you has been everything I wish it would be with my suitors, and more," I admit.

He says nothing, but I feel one of his arms inch it's way around my back and somehow I find my body pressed against his, my every curve fitting against him perfectly. My heart is pounding in my chest, my mind racing, but I can't comprehend in a single thought. It is just too jumbled. All I am able to do is just stare at him, his eyes, his lips. Oh how badly I want his lips to mine.

This urge, this wanting I have for him, I can no longer control it. If this was not X'hal's will then she'd give me the strength to fight this, but I have no strength, and no will to fight any longer. Without a second thought, I stand on the tips of my toes and press my lips to his, and to my utter delight, he passionately kisses me back before lifting me into the air with his inhuman strength and carrying me over to the bed where he lays me down before situating himself on top of me.

The kissing continues, and my body is practically screaming for him as his hands run under my dress, caressing my sides and my breasts, causing my back to arch, my hips pressing against his in extreme lust. I can't take this any longer. I want him and I cannot fight it. "Dick," I whisper, out of breath.

"Yes?" he answers while kissing my neck and collarbone.

"Take me," I plead.

He raises up and stares down at me. "Whatever you wish, Princess."

Not long after my dress, as well, as his pants found there way to the floor.

* * *

 **Lust got the better of them, but what will be the consequences? I like this chapter. How about you guys? Review**


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